Categorical and Dimensional Structure of Autism Spectrum Disorders: the Nosologic Validity of Asperger Syndrome

Overview

Journal J Autism Dev Disord

Publisher Springer

Date 2010 Jan 21

PMID 20087640

Citations 20

Authors

Inge Kamp-Becker

Judith Smidt

Mardjan Ghahreman

Monika Heinzel-Gutenbrunner

Katja Becker

Helmut Remschmidt

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

There is an ongoing debate whether a differentiation of autistic subtypes, especially between Asperger Syndrome (AS) and high-functioning-autism (HFA) is possible and if so, whether it is a categorical or dimensional one. The aim of this study was to examine the possible clustering of responses in different symptom domains without making any assumption concerning diagnostic appreciation. About 140 children and adolescents, incorporating 52 with a diagnosis of AS, 44 with HFA, 8 with atypical autism and 36 with other diagnoses, were examined. Our study does not support the thesis that autistic disorders are discrete phenotypes. On the contrary, it provides evidence that e.g. AS and autism are not qualitatively distinct disorders, but rather different quantitative manifestations of the same disorder.

Citing Articles

Transcranial direct current stimulation to facilitate neurofunctional rehabilitation in children with autism spectrum disorder: a protocol for a randomized, sham-controlled, double-blind clinical trial.

Araujo M, Tamplain P, Duarte N, Comodo A, Ferreira G, Queiroga A Front Neurol. 2023; 14:1196585.

PMID: 37396775 PMC: 10310925. DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1196585.

Assessing Restricted and Repetitive Behaviours in Online-Sampled Autistic and Non-autistic Individuals: Factor Structure of the Repetitive Behaviours Questionnaire for Adults (RBQ-2A).

Brett J, Peden B, Preece D, Whitehouse A, Becerra R, Maybery M J Autism Dev Disord. 2023; 54(6):2138-2147.

PMID: 37052863 PMC: 11142953. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-023-05977-w.

Clusters of conditions among US service members diagnosed with mild TBI from 2017 through 2019.

Hai T, Agimi Y, Stout K Front Neurol. 2022; 13:976892.

PMID: 36438977 PMC: 9681905. DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.976892.

Sensory Sensitivity and Intolerance of Uncertainty Influence Anxiety in Autistic Adults.

Normansell-Mossa K, Top Jr D, Russell N, Freeston M, Rodgers J, South M Front Psychol. 2021; 12:731753.

PMID: 34867612 PMC: 8635111. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.731753.

Alexithymic and autistic traits: Relevance for comorbid depression and social phobia in adults with and without autism spectrum disorder.

Albantakis L, Brandi M, Zillekens I, Henco L, Weindel L, Thaler H Autism. 2020; 24(8):2046-2056.

PMID: 32662285 PMC: 7543015. DOI: 10.1177/1362361320936024.

References

Kopra K, von Wendt L, Nieminen-von Wendt T, Paavonen E . Comparison of diagnostic methods for asperger syndrome. J Autism Dev Disord. 2008; 38(8):1567-73. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-008-0537-y. View

Ring H, Woodbury-Smith M, Watson P, Wheelwright S, Baron-Cohen S . Clinical heterogeneity among people with high functioning autism spectrum conditions: evidence favouring a continuous severity gradient. Behav Brain Funct. 2008; 4:11. PMC: 2265729. DOI: 10.1186/1744-9081-4-11. View

Baron-Cohen S, Scott F, Allison C, Williams J, Bolton P, Matthews F . Prevalence of autism-spectrum conditions: UK school-based population study. Br J Psychiatry. 2009; 194(6):500-9. DOI: 10.1192/bjp.bp.108.059345. View

Klin A, Saulnier C, Sparrow S, Cicchetti D, Volkmar F, Lord C . Social and communication abilities and disabilities in higher functioning individuals with autism spectrum disorders: the Vineland and the ADOS. J Autism Dev Disord. 2006; 37(4):748-59. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-006-0229-4. View

Saulnier C, Klin A . Brief report: social and communication abilities and disabilities in higher functioning individuals with autism and Asperger syndrome. J Autism Dev Disord. 2006; 37(4):788-93. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-006-0288-6. View

Posserud M, Lundervold A, Gillberg C . Autistic features in a total population of 7-9-year-old children assessed by the ASSQ (Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire). J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2006; 47(2):167-75. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2005.01462.x. View

Gadow K, DeVincent C, Pomeroy J, Azizian A . Psychiatric symptoms in preschool children with PDD and clinic and comparison samples. J Autism Dev Disord. 2004; 34(4):379-93. DOI: 10.1023/b:jadd.0000037415.21458.93. View

Georgiades S, Szatmari P, Zwaigenbaum L, Duku E, Bryson S, Roberts W . Structure of the autism symptom phenotype: A proposed multidimensional model. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2007; 46(2):188-96. DOI: 10.1097/01.chi.0000242236.90763.7f. View

Witwer A, Lecavalier L . Examining the validity of autism spectrum disorder subtypes. J Autism Dev Disord. 2008; 38(9):1611-24. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-008-0541-2. View

10.

Carter A, Volkmar F, SPARROW S, Wang J, Lord C, Dawson G . The Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales: supplementary norms for individuals with autism. J Autism Dev Disord. 1998; 28(4):287-302. DOI: 10.1023/a:1026056518470. View

11.

Klin A, Volkmar F, SPARROW S, Cicchetti D, Rourke B . Validity and neuropsychological characterization of Asperger syndrome: convergence with nonverbal learning disabilities syndrome. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1995; 36(7):1127-40. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.1995.tb01361.x. View

12.

Ozonoff S, Rogers S, Pennington B . Asperger's syndrome: evidence of an empirical distinction from high-functioning autism. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1991; 32(7):1107-22. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.1991.tb00352.x. View

13.

Szatmari P, Bartolucci G, Bremner R . Asperger's syndrome and autism: comparison of early history and outcome. Dev Med Child Neurol. 1989; 31(6):709-20. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.1989.tb04066.x. View

14.

Constantino J, Lajonchere C, Lutz M, Gray T, Abbacchi A, McKenna K . Autistic social impairment in the siblings of children with pervasive developmental disorders. Am J Psychiatry. 2006; 163(2):294-6. DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.163.2.294. View

15.

Macintosh K, Dissanayake C . Annotation: The similarities and differences between autistic disorder and Asperger's disorder: a review of the empirical evidence. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2004; 45(3):421-34. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2004.00234.x. View

16.

Gillberg C, Rastam M, Wentz E . The Asperger Syndrome (and high-functioning autism) Diagnostic Interview (ASDI): a preliminary study of a new structured clinical interview. Autism. 2001; 5(1):57-66. DOI: 10.1177/1362361301005001006. View

17.

Gillberg C . Asperger syndrome and high-functioning autism. Br J Psychiatry. 1998; 172:200-9. DOI: 10.1192/bjp.172.3.200. View

18.

Lord C, Risi S, Lambrecht L, Cook Jr E, Leventhal B, DiLavore P . The autism diagnostic observation schedule-generic: a standard measure of social and communication deficits associated with the spectrum of autism. J Autism Dev Disord. 2000; 30(3):205-23. View

19.

Virkud Y, Todd R, Abbacchi A, Zhang Y, Constantino J . Familial aggregation of quantitative autistic traits in multiplex versus simplex autism. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet. 2008; 150B(3):328-34. PMC: 2819431. DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.30810. View

20.

Klin A, Jones W . Attributing social and physical meaning to ambiguous visual displays in individuals with higher-functioning autism spectrum disorders. Brain Cogn. 2006; 61(1):40-53. DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2005.12.016. View